When Optics Meet
by StupidBolts
Summary: A "What if" dimension. What if there was a way to prevent the Beast Wars from starting, or at least delay it? What if that way caused Rattrap to lose his freedom to 'face whoever he wanted?
1. Building of Black and Gold

I don't like this. I don't like this one bit. Rhinox was dragging me by the wrist into the large, black and gold building behind fearless leader and Silverbolt. Bird-dog was marching with that usual high and mighty masculinity, the big banana trotting along next to him and Rhinox stomping a few inches behind with me grinding my heels into the ground.

"Rattrap, stop struggling!" He snorted before lifting me off the ground. He let me dangle in front of him before dropping me into Silverbolt's grasp. "I know you don't want to go through with this, but it's for the good of Cybertron!" He continued.

I glared at ol' Horn-head and fearless leader with the intent of murder, "Cybertron cin kiss my skid-plate! Why do I have have t' be th' one? Why not Cheetor?"

"Cheetor is too young to marry." Primal put in. Gimme a break! Why in the universe was the only way to 'stop this terrible war' as Alpha Trion called it, to marry a slagging Predacon!

I kicked and jerked to try and get free from the bird-dog's grip. Damn fuzor was stronger than he looked! Or maybe I was weaker... either way, I was stuck! "Come now my friend!" He sighed, swaying from side to side to try and calm me like some kind of slagging sparkling! "I understand your distaste for this situation, to wed a bot you have never met before, but think of all the good you will be doing the planet! No more innocent sparks have to perish if you go through with this!" He gave me those eyes.

Those Primus slagging _Puppy-dog_ eyes! The kid's eyes were ridiculously large, cute and bright, I'll bet my Great Aunt Arcee the Bird-dog learned it from Spots! "Bah! Who asked yah?" My shins were dangling over his forearms, my back pressed up against his torso plate. If ever he had to carry me, due to me being stubborn, he'd carry me like this, cuz he knew I was more relaxed in this position.

Rhinox went towards a large door and knocked as 'Bolt stood me beside him, grasping my hand to stop me from running. A tall, slim mech answered the door, peeking through the crack in the door. His armour was a leathery crimson with a snow white face plate. "Oh, it's you..." He muttered in a painfully scratchy voice. "I'll let lord Megatron know you're here... is he the one?" He nodded his head in my direction. Boss Monkey nodded. The mech examined me. "Hm, I think Megatron will like you!" He chuckled. I shuddered and decided to use Silverbolt as a bodily shield, the Bird-Dog spread his wings defensively and growled at the mech.

This creep was a real piece of work! He swaggered around the edge of the door and leant against the frame. "Relax, you're being wed to Megatron's _lieutenant_, not to him!" He sneered. "Sir, the Maximals are here!" He squawked through the door. There was a growl from the room and a large violet mech shoved the doors open, making the crimson flyer shriek and jump away.

"Ah! Optimus Primal, a pleasure to see you!" He announced in an eccentric baritone voice. "I assume you have the mech I chose?" Boss Monkey would of gone pale if he had blood to rush from his face plate. He nodded his head in my direction. The mech looked to me and grinned. A slimy, disgusting grin! I was impressed by how it compared to mine. "Greetings my dear Rattrap." He snickered. "I am Megatron, a pleasure." He stamped towards 'Bolt and me, grabbing my servo and giving it a quick kiss. I snatched it away and clung to the frame of the fuzor's wing. Silverbolt shuffled in front of me a bit more, trying to comfort me without angering this enormous prick.

"Where is your lieutenant?" Rhinox asked, unabashed by Megatron's size. Grape Face tossed him a smirk before gesturing towards the doors. Two mechs, one emerald green flyer and a grey and red land bearer, scuffled into the room dragging and shoving an larger mech with a brown leathery frame and a sapphire face plate. He was snarling and grunting, digging his heels into the ground like I had, before the two mechs accidentally shoved him to the floor. He grunted and snapped his head up to look at us. I peeked around 'Bolt's torso to see him; he looked nervous, those red optics glinting in slight panic and irritation. The two mechs and the crimson flyer from before pulled him to his pedes, where he tried to pull off a look of dignity.

"This, is my faithful lieutenant, Dinobot!" Megatron grinned. He slipped around behind Silverbolt and around the other side, one arm wrapped around my shoulders. "Your fiancée my dear Rattrap." He whispered in my audio receptor. I went stiff as he dragged me effortlessly in front of the taller mech. Again, Dinobot looked nervous, his eyes darting around, like he didn't know where to look. "Come now, join us for diner!" Megatron cheered, slapping my back, making me topple forward. From what I assume was a natural reaction, Dinobot jolted forward and caught me, my cheek pressed against his stomach. His head twisted to the side, looking to his comrades for encouragement. He got it in the form an amused shrug from the slim, red mech. Dinobot rolled his optics before helping me stand up straight.

Silverbolt scurried forward, letting me cling to his arm in a panic. Primal and Rhinox herded us into the next room, Dinobot following loosely behind, walking like a scolded child. "Come now Dinobot, be a gentleman and help your fiancée sit." Megatron seemed amused by... _Choppaface's_ situation. He nodded briskly and pulled out a chair for me.

I scoffed. "I ain't dumb! I cin sit down easily tank yah very much!" I plonked myself in the chair and dragged it out of Dinobot's grasp. His optics became crooked in interest as I swung back in the chair, my foot propping me up. Megatron frowned, but allowed it and sat at the end of the table. Fearless Leader was given the opposing seat. Megatron nodded a head at the chair beside me. Dinobot stiffly sat in it.

"Rattrap is a rather beautiful mech, but he has some attitude..." Megatron sighed, lifting his energon glass and swirled the contents around in his grubby servo. "Doubtless, Dinobot will scrub that out of him!" He chuckled.

"Oh, I doubt that! We've been trying for years." Rhinox remarked, making Silverbolt and me chuckle. I got the distinct feeling Dinobot was smirking to himself, but I was to busy folding my arms over my chest plate and sulking to notice.

"Uh... he's stubborn." Optimus interrupted, shutting us up. He glanced towards Dinobot, who was stiff in his chair, gripping the corners of his seat, making them splinter. "You can hold his hand if you like." He offered. I swear, I would kill that boss monkey! Even if he was trying to make this Pred more relaxed. Don't think it worked. His red optics darted towards me, asking my permission. I sighed and held out my hand, squeezing my optics shut in fear my servo might become like the crushed piece of wood on his chair. He released his grip on one hand and grasped my hand with it. Surprisingly, he was incredibly gentle.

"Well, I hope our treaty will be honoured, Maximals." Megatron rumbled. Primal nodded.

"Of course, not a single written word will be over looked." He replied softly. I would have loved Cheetor to see him like this, all nervous and small. I smirked slightly, which made Boss Monkey give me a violent glare. Silverbolt and Rhinox sat opposite me and Dinobot. Rhinox sat with an intense stared at Dinobot, which doubtless made the poor guy even more uncomfortable. Silverbolt had decided to direct all his attention to a candle sitting in front of him, staring at it as if trying to make it go out with his mind. Little to use I tell yah.

Dinobot nudged my ankle with his foot, trying to get my attention. I rolled my optics towards him, he was staring at his plate, so he wouldn't have to make optic contact with Rhinox. He leant towards me sideways, I did the same to hear him better. "Is your friend always this frightening?" He whispered, obviously meaning Rhinox. First time he speaks and he asks that?

I snickered and leant away, he turned his head to look at me better. "If he weren't, I wouldn't be in one piece t' day!" He smirked and sat up straight again. He hand became more relaxed over mine under the table.

"Would you care for a tour around the building?" He whispered as Grape Face and the Big Banana kept speaking.

"Sure, anything to get outta this!" I mumbled in response. He snorted in amusement.

"Come." He grunted as Megatron slammed his hands on the table and began yelling. Optimus and Rhinox did the same as an argument lifted it's ugly head about who knows what. I felt sorry for Silverbolt who shrank and hid under the table.

Dinobot, still holding my hand, led me out of the room swiftly and into a corridor opposite to the door we'd come through. Kinda glad we didn't bring the kid, don't want him learnin' new words!


	2. Nurture and Spite

**Warning – slash**

**Couple – Dinobot/Rattrap, hints of Silverbolt/Cheetor**

Dinobot showed me around the enormous building. The halls were decorated with black and gold features, like the outside. How bland. Dinobot mostly spoke in mumbles, kinda reminded me of Silverbolt when we first discovered his little... _affair_ with Cheetor. Awkward, I tell yah!

"This is my favourite room..." He pushed open a small door to reveal a large and wide theatre. I blinked in surprise and walked out onto the stage. The walls and curtains around the stage were stark white, but the stage itself was ebony black. The rim around it, of course, was gold.

"Ol' Grape face has a thing about black and gold huh?" I remarked, realising this was the first thing I'd said in about half a cycle.

"He likes the dark yet royal feel it adorns his surroundings with." Jeez, don't think even Silverbolt could come up with a line like that. He strutted towards a large black Grand Piano. We had one in the base coz' the pussy cat's creator wanted him to be a musician. Kid was pretty good too.

Dinobot sat at the large instrument, lifted the wooden cover from the keys, and began playing. The notes came out slowly, smoothly, softly. For a second, I felt like I was floating in water, music just had that effect on me. Even when Cheetor was playing, I got all floaty and out of it! Not that I didn't like it...

Was I singing again?

Slag, I was. Why listening to music like this makes me sing, I have no idea. M'not even that good. Spots says it helps him get into the feel of playing, but I don't know what Dinobot thought. I glanced over at him. He was still playing, unfazed by what had to be the most irritating sound he'd ever heard. As the tune ended, he began playing another.

This one sounded much more sad. I stepped towards him and the piano, and sat beside him. Again, I started to sing. I'm not sure what words were coming out of my mouth, wasn't really paying attention. I just listened to him and the piano. I keep listening, I keep letting the music carry me away.

Then I realise he's crying. My singing that bad? I ask him.

"It isn't you, it's this music." Does he expect me just to leave it at that? "My mother taught it to me... that's all."

I went silent for a moment. See, almost 98% percent of the Predacon femme population had been rounded up, and shot on the spot, in hopes it would level the Pred colony. The other 2%, if I remember right, went underground, hiding in fear that they'd get the same treatment. I curled my legs up into my chest, and hugged my knees, trying to remember _my_ mother. I was about 5 when she went offline. A Predacon of course, which is why I have a... "vile nature" as Optimus sometimes put it. Wildfire her name was, she was gorgeous really, that's why my father has fallen for her. She'd had to become a street walker coz times were so tough for Preds. Dad just happened to pick her up and fell head over heels for her!

I was 5 years old when those Maximal police officers busted in. Mom shoved me in a cupboard, half-breeds being as bad as fully fledged Preds back then, and they dragged her out of our home. I jumped out of my hiding place and ran after them. Dad ran after me, yelling for me to come back. I didn't.

Now, I wish I did. So I didn't have to see all those weeping and wailing femmes, young and old, rounded up into city centre like cattle. A Maximal elder stood on a podium made of silver, and yelled out,

"For the glory of the Maximals, and the purity of Cybertron!" The crowd behind me roared with cheers and laughter. I pushed to the front and stared through the bars, searching for my mother. She was there, Wildfire was standing there, her wire like hair rushing in the wind as she bent over two Predacon sparklings, protecting them with her slick body. A guard grabbed her by the arm and dragged her to the front of the crowd, sheer coincidence I guess.

"An example to you, my fellow Maximals. A Predacon prostitute be tossed aside like the trash she is!" The guard pressed the nose of his gun to the back of her head. If she hadn't seen me before, she saw me right then, because she looked me straight in the optics as he pulled the trigger.

"_Rattrap..."_

"Rattrap?" I snapped open my optics and they darted to Dinobot, who was staring at me with wide optics. He reached forward and brushed a tear from my cheek. "You're a half-breed aren't you?"

"So?" He gave me a weak smile.

"We are more alike than I'd first thought then." He replied softly.


End file.
